OAKLAND – As the Warriors’ attempt to fine tune in the preseason, the competition for the team’s opening starting center is starting to heat up.

In Saturday’s 114-110 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, hopefuls Damian Jones (who got the starting nod), Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell each had a chance to make an impression for the role.

Here’s a breakdown of each player’s performance.(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Damian Jones

Final line: 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists.

Jones received the start to gauge his fit with the Warriors all-star core. However, he did little to separate himself from the rest of the group, picking up two fouls in seven first-half minutes. The first came on a layup attempt from Wolves guard Jeff Teague, followed by an attempt to block Taj Gibson.

“Some things didn’t go my way,” Jones said. “I was late on the switch. That was the reason why (I got the foul). Everything else was cool.”

Jones also struggled against Wolves all-star center Karl Anthony Towns, who started 4-5 from the field. Still, Jones, who spent most of last year in the G-League, did show off his athleticism on a second half dunk off a feed from Draymond Green.

Jones has the most to prove out of the trio. After getting drafted 30th overall in 2016, he’s struggled to get on the court, battling injuries and a long stint in the G-League last season. Over his tenure in the Bay Area, Jones has appeared in just 25 of a possible 164 games. For Jones, Saturday evening marked a chance to rectify his career.

“It was great getting that first starting experience and it was different getting the first game jitters out,” Jones said. “I felt like it was solid.”

Final Grade: C
(Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)

Kevon Looney

Final line: 7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block

Looney’s reliable play was again on display Saturday evening. In addition to making all the correct defensive switches, he even registered an impressive weak side block in the first quarter.

The third-year forward even showed improvement on his jumper, making a 16-footer in the first half. Over the summer, Looney shot thousands of jumpers during his workouts at UCLA, making a point to shoot it in afternoon pickup games featuring top-level NBA talent.

An interesting wrinkle Kerr used was pairing Looney and Bell during the first half. The two have developed a chemistry over the past two seasons working out in Los Angeles, and Looney believes the lineup can prosper this season.

“It was good synergy,” Looney said. “We worked together all summer.”

Grade: B
(Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Jordan Bell

Final line: 10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block

Bell showed the flash from early in his rookie season, effortlessly blocking shots, while scoring 10 first-half points.

However, his night was not without mistakes. In the first quarter, he fumbled a pass in transition from Stephen Curry, then threw an errant pass intended for Quinn Cook as the quarter drew to a close. By the end of the game, Bell had accumulated four turnovers, which he believes can be corrected.

“I was threading the needle,” Bell said of the passes. “Its preseason so I was just trying stuff today.”

Still, Bell did provide highlights, like the 18-foot first half jumpshot, or a his quick athletic put back off his own miss.

It’s almost as if Jordan Bell missed this on purpose, knowing he was gonna immediately get the offensive rebound and lay it in pic.twitter.com/7OcB5iHTjR

Bell is also trying out another goal this season: staying consistent. Part of that mission is balancing the growth of his game with the confines of the offense. By that measure, he was successful Saturday night.

“You just gotta know what kind of player you are,” Bell said. “I know I’m not Steph, I’m not KD, I’m JB, I can’t be anybody else even if I wanted to.”

Logan Murdock covers the Warriors for the Bay Area News Group. The Oakland native interned at Turner Sports and the Memphis Commercial Appeal and was a member of the Sports Journalism Institute's 2017 class.